Not every TV show gets a final season. Sometimes a TV show gets yanked off the air without much explanation, and with some only having one season to their name. Though sometimes the fault lies in the show’s quality, but that’s not always the case.
There are too many shows that were cancelled just as they were getting really good, to the point that a lot will be missed off in a conversation about the subject. Even sadder, some of these shows were cancelled soon after the first episode was even aired, with one being cancelled well before the pilot.
Sleepy Hollow
Though Sleepy Hollow’s first season was received well, many felt that the plot of the series was a bit bloated. The second season did far better, earning a Rotten Tomatoes score of 100 percent, with the site stating “Sleepy Hollow continues to pack a punch in its sophomore season, with fantastic writing and lots of chills.”
However, Sleepy Hollow slumped a bit with a mixed bag of a third season, which may have signaled the end of the series. Though the fourth season was a slight improvement, the show was cancelled by Fox in 2017.
The Muppets.
Taking the iconic Muppets and fitting them into an Office-style documentary setting is a no-brainer of an idea. With the being said, The Muppets. from 2015 and 2016 just wasn’t what many fans really wanted it to be.
Having the show deal with more adult situations than the Muppets had dealt with before sparked anger from parents groups, with critics feeling that the show was just a mixed bag overall. Nonetheless, the series was brimming with potential, making its cancellation baffling.
Constantine
John Constantine is a character with a ton of potential, but his big break on television burned bright and brief. Though some were mixed on the shows qualities, the general reception was positive, with many praising the lead performance by Matt Ryan.
Constantinewas sadly passed over for renewal by NBC, with the show’s producer claiming it wasn’t a good fit for the channel. Though this is a shame, Matt Ryan got to reprise the role in The Arrowverse, becoming a series regular on Legends of Tomorrow.
Crusade
A spin-off of Babylon 5, Crusade was cancelled by TNT before the first episode even aired, which makes it sting all the more. Moving the concept from a space station to a more standard spaceship, the show had a lot of things going for it.
Not only did the show have a lot to work with, being set in the Babylon 5 universe, but it also featured a fun cast that were brimming with possibilities. Sci-Fi (now Syfy) attempted to pick the show up, but the plan ultimately fizzled out due to budget concerns.
I Am Not Okay With This
I Am Not Okay With This got the plug pulled in 2020, but the reasons are far more understandable. A pseudo-sci-fi, coming-of-age show that dealt with topics like sexual identity, the show was anchored by a solid performance by Sophia Lillis.
Unfortunately, the show was filmed and released just before the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the entire world. Sadly, this meant that Netflix were forced to cancel the series. If the show had a significant flaw, it was that I Am Not Okay With This ended way too soon.
The X-Files Revival
Many fans feel that The X-Files, after becoming a TV obsession in the 1990s, really lost its luster when it ended in 2002. Eventually, nostalgia prompted a six-episode revival to be made to very mixed reviews, with some critics feeling it just didn’t live up to the hype.
An eleventh season that boasted a far larger number of episodes aired in 2018 to far more positive reception, though the first and last episodes were received less fondly. Sadly, since no further seasons have been greenlit, this means that Mulder and Scully have gone out on a low note.
Spider-Man: The New Animated Series
Spider-Man: The New Animated Series is a show that would thrive if it were made today. Serving as a sort of sequel to the first Sam Raimi film, the animated show aired on MTV and gave fans a far more mature look at the famous Web-Head.
Though the show wasn’t perfect and its visual style is a tad dated, the first season of the show ended on a killer cliffhanger. Sadly, it was not to be, as MTV axed the series despite high ratings, mostly because they felt it didn’t gel with their other programming.
Terra Nova (2011)
Escaping from a dystopian future, a group of settlers travel to the years when dinosaurs roamed the planet. With such a good premise, most would think that Terra Nova would last for a while, but that sadly wasn’t the case.
Only lasting one season, the show started off great but slumped mid-season. However, Terra Nova regained momentum by the final episode, ending the season on a high note. Unfortunately, Fox cancelled the show before a second season could even get off the ground.
Iron Fist
Despite the first season of the series being critically panned, Iron Fist bounced back in its sophomore season. With a new showrunner behind the wheel, the second season of Iron Fist had much better action sequences and the plot had much better pacing.
Ending with Danny Rand producing a pair of chi-charged handguns, the finale had fans wondering what was gonna happen next. Iron Fist ended up being the first casualty in Netflix’s Marvel massacre, though Daredevil’s cancellation is the one that stings the most.
Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek is no stranger to cancellation, with the original series being cancelled after its third season despite the premise of the show being about a 5-year mission. Though while Season 3 of the original Star Trek ended the show on a whimper, the final seasons of Star Trek: Enterprise worked to improve the show’s reception.
After becoming a genuinely great show towards by the fourth season, Star Trek: Enterprise was cancelled. This is a shame as the creators had plans for further seasons, including showing The Earth-Romulan War, but sadly these plans never saw the light of day.
